ITV

Tag: B2B

  • GUEST ARTICLE: LinkedIn creates new marketing avenues in the digital space

    GUEST ARTICLE: LinkedIn creates new marketing avenues in the digital space

    Mumbai: As a business leader, you know that the world of marketing is constantly evolving. The advent of digital technology has created new opportunities for reaching potential customers, and LinkedIn is one venue that should be on your radar. LinkedIn offers unique features that can help you connect with more prospects and create powerful relationships with key decision-makers. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the advantages of LinkedIn marketing and show you how to get started. So read on to learn more.

    Exploring the digital space to create new marketing avenues 

    In today’s digital age, businesses need to find new ways to reach their target audiences. Social media, online advertising, and email marketing are all effective tools for connecting with customers. However, businesses must also be proactive in exploring new digital spaces to ensure that they are not missing out on potential opportunities. For example, platforms like Snapchat and Instagram have become increasingly popular in recent years. Businesses can reach a whole new audience by creating content specifically for these platforms. Similarly, businesses can use data-driven insights to identify emerging trends and develop innovative marketing strategies to stay ahead of the competition. The key is to always be on the lookout for new ways to connect with customers and stay ahead of the curve.

    Top 5 digital spaces to explore while creating new marketing avenues 

    Digital marketing has revolutionised the way businesses reach and engage with their audiences. There are many digital spaces to explore when creating marketing campaigns, and the options can be overwhelming. To help you get started, here are five of the top digital spaces to explore:

    1. Social media: With over 2.8 billion active users, social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. It allows you to connect with your audience on a personal level, build relationships, and boost brand awareness.

    2. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is vital for driving traffic to your website and ensuring that your content is visible to your target audience. Optimising your website and content for search engines can increase your visibility and help you reach potential customers.

    3. Email marketing: Email is still one of the most effective marketing channels available. It allows you to reach a large audience with personalised messages and keep them updated on your latest products and offerings.

    4. Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is a great way to drive targeted traffic to your website. By bidding on keyphrases relevant to your business, you can ensure that your ad is seen by people who are interested in what you have to offer.

    5. Content marketing: A successful digital marketing campaign requires high-quality content. Creating informative and engaging content can attract new visitors to your site and build trust with your audience.

    Linkedin as one of the best digital spaces to explore as your marketing avenue 

    With over 650 million users, LinkedIn is one of the largest and most popular social networking sites available today. LinkedIn provides a platform for networking, building relationships, and sharing information with other business professionals. It can also be an effective marketing tool. When used correctly, LinkedIn can help you build your brand, generate leads, and connect with potential customers. If you’re looking for a digital space to explore as your marketing avenue, LinkedIn is definitely worth considering.

    Value-add provided by LinkedIn 

    LinkedIn can be an extremely effective tool for marketing, provided it is used correctly. One of the key advantages of LinkedIn is that it allows businesses to target a very specific audience with their marketing messages. Through its networking features, LinkedIn also provides businesses with a way to build relationships with potential customers. In addition, LinkedIn can be used to generate leads and drive traffic to a company’s website. Finally, LinkedIn offers businesses a way to track their marketing campaigns and measure their return on investment. Used consciously, LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool for any business looking to reach a wider audience with its marketing messages.

    Other ways in which LinkedIn can be put to use by companies are:

    • LinkedIn allows users to connect with other professionals in their field and develop relationships that can lead to business opportunities.
    • Individuals and companies can use LinkedIn to establish authority and credibility.
    • LinkedIn can also be used to post job openings, which can attract new applicants. It also helps build brand awareness, boost employee advocacy, and create specialised company pages for different products and services.
    • In addition, LinkedIn has groups and forums where users can discuss industry news and trends.

    This makes LinkedIn an ideal platform for marketing purposes. By creating a profile and engaging with other users, businesses and individuals can create a presence on LinkedIn that can lead to new opportunities.

    LinkedIn is a powerful tool for B2B marketers and should be included as part of your social media marketing mix. With over 500 million users, LinkedIn offers a wealth of opportunities to reach your target market. If you’re not using LinkedIn, now is the time to start. 

    The author of this article is Vajra Global CEO Ganapathy Sankarabaaham.

  • DPhi appoints Bconnect Communications as its communication partner

    DPhi appoints Bconnect Communications as its communication partner

    Mumbai: Belgium and India based DPhi has appointed a new-age integrated marketing communication agency — Bconnect Communications — to manage its external communication across pan India.

    DPhi is an artificial intelligence (AI)-focused community platform. Chanukya Patnaik founded the company in 2020 with the goal of educating and building AI for everyone in order to solve key challenges for humanity.

    Headquartered in Delhi, Bconnect Communication will look into the strategic communication for DPhi as it is important to convey the right message to the audience about the brand initiatives.

    On its collaboration with Bconnect Communications, DPhi founder Chanukya Patnaik said, “We are glad to onboard Bconnect Communications as our communication partner. We’ve worked with them on a few engagements before getting into this longer collaboration. Neha and her team showed great enthusiasm, ownership, and a keen willingness to make an impact. Most importantly, they are well connected across most Indian media outlets and have shown remarkable results in a short span. This collaboration will help DPhi reach a wider audience, and we are looking forward to it.”

    Bconnect Communication founder and director Neha Bahri said, “Business-to-business technology is our core forte. It is the most demanding segment right now in the global and Indian markets. Our strong business acumen in the sector and past experience in the B2B and AI space gives us an edge in working on our strong portfolio of clients. I believe we will be able to deliver through a mix of communication strategies.”

    DPhi said that it has fostered AI-driven innovation among several companies and has solved social and business problems, including predicting earthquakes to save lives, safeguarding NFTs, building an AI powered lens for the blind and many others.

    DPhi claims to provide free AI and data science courses by industry experts from large tech companies or startups worldwide. It claims that over 100K learners across 150 countries have benefited from its courses in the past two years.

  • GUEST ARTICLE: How is B2B influencer marketing emerging as a trend in the marketing space?

    GUEST ARTICLE: How is B2B influencer marketing emerging as a trend in the marketing space?

    Mumbai: Influencer marketing is extremely popular in the B2B arena, owing to the fact that customers trust experts more than advertisements. However, the worldwide pandemic has brought new challenges for B2B marketers. Marketing strategies have shifted as the customer and industry environments have changed post-Covid. Companies are also seeing lower marketing spending, which is expected to continue. In addition to such market dynamics, marketing teams are under growing pressure to continuously offer business value and significant outcomes.

    Gartner’s annual CMO Spend Survey has found global marketing budgets now equate to just 6.4 per cent of overall company revenue, down from 11 per cent previously. As a result, marketers must accomplish more with less. These challenging times create a compelling opportunity to redesign influencers in the B2B marketing strategy and think creatively, tactically, and comprehensively. Companies may establish high-impact, scalable, and long-term relationships that add value to the organisation. B2B influencer campaigns have greater reach and confidence with possible buyers, who are more receptive and accepting of information coming from a neutral and reputable source.

    Without a question, the B2B marketing sector will be quite fascinating in the next few years. The reliance on digital interaction, experience, and an increasing tendency toward B2B e-commerce will undoubtedly continue. Data from Salesforce’s seventh annual State of Marketing report shows that 44 per cent of B2B marketers have ‘completely changed’ their marketing channel mix since the pandemic began to meet new challenges. Furthermore, content will continue to play a prominent role, experiences will be everything, and the function of influencers in digital media will become much more significant. B2B marketers must shift away from brand-centric marketing experiences and toward customer-centric marketing experiences.

    Advertisers are increasingly looking for experiences that can attract, engage, and transform the buyer in the driver’s seat. Some B2B marketers are already successfully leveraging partnerships with the industry’s most trusted voices, aka influencers. The reach and efficacy of B2B influencer marketing in obtaining brand awareness and buyer attention are now significantly greater than traditional marketing tactics. 84 per cent of B2B marketers work with influencers to create brand awareness and 69 per cent of B2B marketers work with influencers to help generate new leads (according to the State of B2B Influencer Marketing Research Report). This is why, as part of their brand marketing, prominent businesses from a wide range of industries are partnering with leading industry influencers across both digital and traditional platforms.

    Due to the significant digital change in B2B buying choices, the relevance of engaging influencer marketing has grown in the industry. Buyers rely on these trustworthy sources to educate and influence their purchasing decisions. The B2B marketing business anticipates a stronger focus on digital engagement, experience, and growth in the next few years. Content will continue to play an important part in this area, and experience and impact will be more prominent than ever. Considering this trend, B2B companies must leverage influencer relationships to build experiences that attract, engage, and convert customers in a way that promotes long-term trust and loyalty.

    People have shown an interest in learning more about influencer marketing during the last several years. B2B marketers should be on the lookout for this possibility because it will be a trend in the near future. As the primary source, it will be one of the fastest-growing client acquisition strategies. Working with recognized influencers in the company may give considerable prospects for promoting to prospective buyers.

    People have raised an interest in learning more about influencer marketing during the last several years. B2B marketers should be on the lookout for this possibility because it will be a trend in the near future. As the primary source, it will be one of the fastest-growing client acquisition strategies. Working with recognized influencers in the company may give considerable prospects for promoting to prospective buyers.

    The author of the article is The Girlfriend Box co-founder Vaibhav Pathak.

  • Rahul Mishra promoted as head of Shemaroo’s Web 3.0 initiatives

    Rahul Mishra promoted as head of Shemaroo’s Web 3.0 initiatives

    Mumbai: Rahul Mishra, formerly the head of marketing of Shemaroo Entertainment, has been promoted to head the company’s Web 3.0 initiatives. In the third wave of the internet, which is more transparent and employs technologies like blockchain, AI, and IOT to offer a more engaging user experience for the business, he will be working on identifying & building various opportunities.

    Rahul joined Shemaroo in 2018 and has been instrumental in carving an identity for its various consumer facing businesses. He played a pivotal role in the transformation of Shemaroo from a B2B to a B2C new-age digital company, and its new imagery roll out with the company’s foray into OTT and broadcast.

    On the elevation, Shemaroo Entertainment CEO Hiren Gada commented, “We are delighted to elevate Rahul Mishra to his new role. His long and steady contribution has helped the company scale great heights. Rahul’s promotion is aptly timed as we plan to accelerate our brand’s growth using Web 3.0 technologies.”

    Newly appointed Shemaroo Entertainment’s Web 3.0 initiatives head Rahul Mishra added, “I am grateful and thrilled to take up this new role. It’s an honour to be a part of the brand that has been entertaining India for 60 years and to work with the best minds in the industry. The future is exciting and bright with the arrival of newer technologies, and I look forward to navigating Shemaroo’s journey into the next stage of the evolution of the internet.”

  • Ants Digital bags Vega’s digital, brand and performance marketing mandate

    Ants Digital bags Vega’s digital, brand and performance marketing mandate

    Mumbai: Vega has appointed Ants Digital as its digital, brand and performance marketing partner, the company said in a statement.

    The agency will be responsible to launch the upcoming vertical across digital and social platforms & create innovative campaigns for the B2B market.  

    Vega plans to offer a comprehensive range of services and solutions curated by the leading grooming professionals for styling experts. By leveraging this launch the brand aims to redefine the future of styling and grooming for ‘creators’.  

    Vega chief marketing officer Eiti Singhal said, “As part of our expansion plan for this financial year we are looking to broaden our horizon into the B2B space. We will be embracing the strong fundamentals and market understanding from the core business yet creating a new niche by delivering quality, precision, and the widest assortment of professional tools to this creator community. We wanted to partner with an agency that understood how to link a powerful creative idea and create a meaningful proposition out of that. Thrilled to have Ants join us on this journey.”  

    Speaking on the appointment, Ants Digital chief executive officer Sanjay Arora said, “Vega as a strong legacy brand is an asset to our portfolio. We are super excited to put some revolutionary ideas into action for their new vertical. By developing new age, innovative strategies by constantly studying and recognizing industry bottlenecks, we are exponentially growing the B2B push for many brands. With the launch of this new premium vertical, we have the opportunity here to scale Vega’s product offerings and consumer acumen by building a robust community of creators & a strong digital and retail presence”.

  • GUEST COLUMN: B2B brands need to think beyond lead generation

    New Delhi: In business-to-business (b2b), marketing often comes to a halt at the lead generation funnel. Given the economic environment created by the pandemic, the stress on lead generation is not surprising, but working on the lowest hanging fruit is not a long-term strategy.

    In the aggressively competitive environment, B2B brands need to think beyond just lead generation for their content marketing strategy. Simply put, what is your answer to this? What are you doing to help your customers succeed?

    Your content marketing needs to be a method of helping your customers succeed. Under the pressure of an immediate lead and conversion, we tend to lack business empathy, and thus our content intended to be educational ends up being more transactional. I encourage B2B brands to use content marketing as a tool to support and help meet customer goals. That is what the purpose of your brand is in the first place. Keep connected to the roots of why you thought customers would come to you and choose your product or service.

    There is a specific problem that your business solves for your customers, and that should be at the heart of your B2B content marketing strategy. It’s a whole new ball game possibly from what most B2B organizations are doing currently. Here are a few things to consider. I have outlined must-haves, good to have, and great haves for your content marketing strategy.

    B2B Content marketing ‘must-haves’ 

    Blog: While all organizations have a blog on their website but usually, they are sparsely populated and more focused on SEO than on content value. The resources section is Important and needs its due.

    Case Studies: I recommend case studies that are not just a synopsis of what the process was and what the ROI was but also a customer’s point of view. It may take a lot more work but in this case, it is an excellent differentiator, a brand will earn 10X in credibility vs the increase in effort.

    White papers, guides, and research: What is on ‘top of mind’ for any business is ‘who else is in my boat’ and what are they doing to navigate a circumstance. White papers are must-have tools in the arsenal. Remember that being unique is the key. Creating content is fairly easy. Creating good content that isn’t ‘hard selling’ and provides customers with genuine value — that’s a tricky, time-consuming business.

    B2B Content marketing ‘good to haves’

    Webinars and events: Online webinars and events are a good way to get your product or service to your customers, it is also an opportunity to build an improved relationship with your customers, it can be the platform to create thought leadership. Profiling and targeted invites are a great way to reach customers with whom you may not have engaged in the past.  

    Training & courses: Training is an important part of the B2B marketing content strategy. If you understand your customer then I recommend that based on your customer persona, develop training and certifications which not just train customers on your product but also add skills and learning beyond your product.

    Co-Creation & collaborations: Customers are in the same storm, and very slightly different boats; they are stressed for leads and under pressure to build engagement. Create a partnership with your customer, build value with combined resources, co-host events, webinars, build joint resources, create PR opportunities. You will be surprised that in addition to goodwill and visibility, the value it builds for your business in hard number crunched ROI.

    No matter which tools you choose, remember the Everest of marketing is getting your communication right and that peak is scalable only if you know and understand your customer.

    (Ambika Sharma is the founder & MD of Pulp Strategy. The views expressed in the column are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)

  • Nykaa onboards Vikas Gupta as CEO – B2B Business

    Nykaa onboards Vikas Gupta as CEO – B2B Business

    MUMBAI: Flipkart’s head of customer, marketing and digital business Vikas Gupta has joined online beauty & personal care products marketplace Nykaa as CEO of its b2b business.

    The e-commerce portal posted the development on its LinkedIn page.

    “We are delighted to welcome on board, Vikas Gupta, the new CEO of our B2B business at Nykaa. Having held leadership roles for over two decades, Vikas is an expert at building business for digital-first enterprises that are data driven and fast-evolving. We are excited to have him on the team to drive a new wave of growth at Nykaa,” read the post.

    Gupta has over two decades of leadership experience at companies such as Unilever and more recently, Flipkart, where he was the head of customer and marketing function, the company said. 

    His work over the years has won him several recognitions including 14 effectiveness awards (Effies and AMEs), 27 innovation and creative awards (16 Cannes Lions) and 10 top Unilever awards.  

    Gupta shared the news of his appointment on LinkedIn saying, “Incredibly excited to start this new journey at Nykaa. Big Thank you to the wonderful people at #Flipkart for the lasting learnings and friendships and an everlasting gratitude to my family at #Unilever #hindustanunilever as I begin this new chapter of my life.”

    At Nykaa, Gupta will be setting up the e-distribution arm that aims to become the one-stop shop for retailers across the country to source beauty and personal care products, the company said.

  • Advertising agencies should recalibrate around Covid2019

    Advertising agencies should recalibrate around Covid2019

    As Covid2019 continues to sweep through the world, global ad spending is also sliding southwards. With major events being cancelled and slowdown in demands for lifestyle and consumer brands, marketing budgets are being slashed and advertisers are trying to find a silver lining among the gloomy clouds over the urban skyscrapers. USD 4.5 billion a day! That is how much the pandemic is costing the Indian economy! This has trickled down to every sector. With consumption dropping, manufacturing is seeing a halt. This would have been the wedding season in India, with increased spending on jewellery, etc. Sunscreen and myriad skincare-related television commercials would have by now been urging us to fill the online carts. But Covid2019 has impacted marketing and sales negatively. This variable can be fatal to creative agencies who fail to adapt to what we expect will come next.

    Given the current scenario, we have to wait until September when things start to ease up. Being nimble is the key to the game. In fact, we the advertising people are a race of humans who are no strangers to disruption and turmoil. We have overcome all kinds of pressures – economic, financial, political, natural, and many more. As the Covid2019 is no longer viewed as a short-lived outbreak and the world is calibrating itself to settle around it and with it, advertising agencies will also have to recalibrate. In fact, many mainline or legacy agencies will have to brace themselves for the slump that is yet to come. With businesses being conducted online now, creative pitches, client meetings, brainstorming and such have all moved online, and remote terminals are our new offices now.  Agencies that cater to tech innovations, digital and internal B2B can expect some sort of sustainability.

    While agencies understand the need to change, the same is required from clients’ side too. At Hotstuff, we mobilized our resources in March, even before the actual lockdown, setting up new systems and work management protocols that ensured business continuity. We helped our clients to do so too and adapt. During the lockdown we even created TVCs from home that set a precedence and a trend for other marketers to follow suit. Innovation is the key and as Indians, we are known to innovate the best during crises. This has helped us churn out campaigns and create communication pieces in full swing. As an agency we did not stop at that but kept our clients engaged through our huge network of experts who could add value to its world of clients. Our Tattva Knowledge Series of webinars are a huge success and only growing in its reach.

    Advertisements are nothing but human stories and one of the key factors that make them touch our hearts is how we interpret and imagine our interaction with each other. In pandemic times, this significant emotion itself is of high risk. Though our social interactions have lessened and are almost at a standstill, we are still humans, capable of managing all that and much more through our subtle perceptions.

    Physical expressions have evolved and are evolving to subtle expressions. Creative people are catching that and messages of hope and beauty and a world of subtle emotions will play a pivotal role. Strong ideas will matter more than exuberant productions. The power of storytelling will need to be honed better. We humans have the agility and the tensile strength to overcome anything and as dream merchants we are like the frontline workers who would keep the sanity alive. The templates would need to change – hope, beauty, gratitude, calmness, stoic, prayer, positivity, sombre and empathetic along with technological innovations would be the new norm in the brand new world.  

    (The author is Hotstuff CEO. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

  • Inkspell launches ‘Drivers of Digital Awards & Summit’ 2017

    MUMBAI: Popularly known as DOD Awards, this year’s event will also include Keynote Addresses, Panel Discussions and Fireside Chats among the Who’s Who of the Digital fraternity as well as professionals from the Brands which are leading the digital practices in the country.

    ‘Drivers of Digital’ is a flagship event of the digital industry in India and is organised annually by Inkspell Media – a New Delhi based B2B marketing enterprise. While the previous edition of this event was organised in the national capital, this year it is being hosted in Mumbai on 26 October. “Taking DOD Awards to Mumbai is a welcome move, and the digital fraternity is quite upbeat about it”, said one of the officials from Inkspell Media.

    The organisers have very recently launched the website (www.dodawards.in) and have declared the entry submissions open. The last day for agencies and brands to nominate their caste studies, campaigns, products, services, and professionals for the DOD Awards is 20 September, while the Regular Entry Slots close on 31 August.

    Nominations are invited across several categories including Digital Marketing, Website, Mobile, Digital Financial, Content Marketing and Special Awards.

    This year’s programme shall be a blend of awards and interactive sessions addressed by the industry experts and veterans as well as leaders from some of the most renowned global brands and agencies. Some of the topics that shall be discussed at the event through Keynote Addresses, Panel Sessions, Fireside Chats, etc. include:

    • Digital content is now representing your Brand’s Reputation!
    • Social Media’s New Mantras
    • #DigitalAdvertising: Getting the Pounds for your pennies.
    • Artificial Intelligence – Mastering the monster we have created!
    • Will physical banks exist 5 years from now?
    • #Fintech